Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-11
LITTLE MISS UGLY.
BY THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH.
From Harper's Bazaar.

BY THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH.
From Harper's Bazaar
The Orringtons were by no means liked by their
SET, simply because they looked down their set,
and on every one else holding themselves as of the
nob!eSSe- And It must be owned that they had a
streak OF the blue blood. The paternal great
grandfather, Percy OrringtOn, was an Englishman,
the younger brother Of noble house, who, to eS-
cape the woes Of brotherhood when a
young man or twenty, brought himself and his
snail portion 10 the colony of Pennsylvania. He
obtained grant OF large tract OF land In the
western part OF the colony, settled there as
bachelor, and, fortunately, kept his scalp safe
from the Indians This short time before
the colonies revolted- He took the popular side,
held majors commission, and distinguished him.
self al saltwater and elsewhere Years after the
war was over, and rather late in Ife he married a
Miss Esten, young Virginia gentlewoman, who
brought him additional pride. but little wealth.
Percyneyerforgot his connection, but kept
spondence with his kinsoIk on the other side OF the
Atlantic. His son did the same But when the
older branch died OUT and the title fell TO the son.
ne never claimed il. His uncle, his fathers elder
brother, had joined In cutting OF the entail, and
being spendthri1tS both, when the last Lord Or
riDgtOn died the family estate had gone The
American heir was wealthy for this side Of the
ocean, but he had not enough TO support a proper
state as a nObleInan, and he never claimed his
place IN the peerage. Neither did the grandson,
although he had added TO his means by wedding
American citizen AS for the great grandson John
SackVille Orrington, suddenly made the head OF
The family by the death OF both parents, he cared
not whit for anything but enjoying life In his
accustomed way lie had enough 10 maintain
him and his sisters in good style, and TO let them
wander about during summer to Long Branch or
saratoga or the White sulphur, or where they
would, and he was quite content. He was good
looking bachelor, or Internationally, though not
particularly averse to matrimony, declared he
would remain single until after his sisters had
IL was about time that Marian Orrfngton was
married. II she meant TO be married at all. She
was twenty Ave. and, though recognized beauty
and belle, looked much older than she was. Ger
tatnly she had classic features, wealth OF light
waving hair, fine figure, fine manners and style
which attracted and secured admiratfon but late
hours and fashionable habits had combined TO give
her an appearance or age. She had Su1torS enough,
lovers were not rich. She had but moderate por-
ton Of her own, and did not intend to link herself
to any gentleman who brought no more than love
In q cottage. very prudent young woman was
Miss Orrlngton, and the one she thought eligible
came along at last.
They were at Niagara Falls, at the close of the
season, having come there from Saratoga, intend
ing TO go from thence TO Philadelphia, where the
OrrfngtOn mansion stood The younger sister,
Margaret, barely eighteen, was with them The
three were standing one day ON Goat Island, look
ing at the mist that rolls up perpetually from the
turned. and gazing curiously for moment, came
forward and offered his hand to John Orrington
Jack !" and Gilmore! ]" were the words of recOg-
milton that were interchanged, and then John In
troduced the stranger as Mr.. Braxton.
she had heard her brother speak as an old college
mate at Harvard, an eccentric young millionaire,
quite familiar with his history. He was an oniY
son. His father had died within a year, and left
him number OF houses and farms, with stocks
and bonds running well up in the millions besides
a vast amount or mining property, scattered over
the United States estimated to be worth large
sum. The elder Braxton had a fondnesS for bury
ing his surplus money Underground If a new
mining company were to be organized whether
for silver In Colorado or copper in Michigan, or
protector always found In him willing victim
In laost cases, however, the victim became a vic
Tor. Good luck seemed to attend him. The VEN
lures nearly all turned out WELL notably the Last
Chance mine In Colorado and the MuSinagon In
Michigan, both Of which returned large dividends.
But the son had no taste for mining affairs and
was just then engaged in d1sposing of his mining
stocks at market prices, and investing the pro-
oeedS In Government bonds, which yielded less In
tereSt, but gave him no further trouble than Gin
ping coupons. Taken altogether. he was a very
rch man, and though he was quiet, and despite
nne presence and easy carriage not given much
10 draW1ng-roOm5, Miss Orrington felt sure that
were she Mrs Braxton her uege lord would become
eminent as society man.
As for Margaret, she did not enter into the CAL
eu!atlonS OF any body. She was considered to be
emancipated from the fashionable Academy of St
BarnaoaS, where, besides indistinct reading and
1ueglole writing, she had been taught a Smatter-
ing Of the oiogies, academical French and school,
girl music. This was her first summer tour She
iookea up 10 ths newcomer as rather mature
gentleman, thirty seeming old to eighteen. but
as she heard him and her brother talk, she was
amazed and rather delighted at the vast amount
Braxton had Travelled all over Europe and Asia
he WAS In Palestine when the news Of his fathers
sudden death reached him-and he had been a
keen observer. Quiet as he generally was. and
even reserved, he was quite entertaining when
Drawn out, and little Margaret listened with
wldey-opened ears, remaining quietly In the back
ground, with nothing to say. impulsive az times
she was shy In general and with pleasant easy
way at nome, was baShrul among strangers III they
were her seniors She had not Marian-s manner
nor Marian's beauty, though she was neither awk-
ward nor homey. She looked more like her
mother, who had been dark, while her sister and
brother were fair. She inherited one thing from
her motner.a pair OF large dark hazel eyes that
at times Lit up her Whole face with a strange
luster.
Marian put forth her whole fascination. and
Braxton seemed 10 sucCumb 10 it at once They
all walked back TO the hotel, where Orrington and
Braxton-it was Jack, my boy" and ssElmore
old Fellow" With thein-recalled their old COLLEGE
scrapes 10 quite late hour When the par9y
separated for the night It seemed as though FL
more Praxton had been long as intimate with the
rest OF the family as he had been years before with
Jack
1t was soon rumored around who Braxton was
OF latner what ne was, and he received consider
able attention from far-seeing fathers AMI match-
making mothers with modest smiles from spin
STEERS thrown In; but be chung 70 Jack and his
party, and Marian was triumphant. She was still
more eiated when he promised to be their guest In
Pnlaoeiphia so soon as ne had visited a coal mine
Ia pennsylvania In which he was heavily inter
ested Ae was TO part with them at Buffalo, the
The morning or the day he left Buffalo Margaret
was late at the breakfast table where the party
sat- and John rather impatiently asked OF Martin
Nv hat does keep little Miss Ugly?"
Sraxton started suddenly, and repeated the last
three words OF the question.
'Oh," cried John, suddenly, 81 had forgotten
that you didn't know our domestic slang The
hane Is fastened on Margaret, but It has no refer
eace 10 her books When she was a baby and
was teetnlng, she was rather fretful, and father
piayfuliy called her Little Miss Ugly' IL grew
in,o pet name with all OF Us, much TO mothers
disgust Ii vexes her, though and we only use IL
inadvertently, just as it came out now"
Margaret Is nice little girl, though uniformed
syet, SAID Marian. 'She Is not as impuIsiye as
she used 10 DC, though she is still little more than
child" ~
.Pegsys impulses are good ones, Marian said
John. o>--N
ION, OF course, or she wouldn't be an Orrfnpton.
Out they do lead TO ridiculous consequences some
TIMES Just think OF that tramp,
Ah?' said Braxton, inqur1ngly.
~ Is commonplace enough, Elmore observed
JAIN, put IL gave Us lots or 1un at the time Just
aller we were graduated you went on somewhere
ior traInpins tour, and came home and we All
vent up 10 the country house. Margaret was a
SilI OF twelve then, In short dresses and fond OF
etinGlns fences ana rambling round, which ac-
counts Tor her rather robust health Grandfather
SacASLle-that WAS the year before he died-gaye
her ten-doilar gold piece FOR Spending-noney
SLe Olun Ike u break it. and Carried II around
Ia her pocket on she went the next day To
famous blackberry patch We had at one end oT
TIE place. intending doubtless to eat her MI child
IKE she happened To be near the fence when
she saw Two Unlocking fellows crouchinp under
the panA-the road Is cut deep there She mid
among some copplce and watched them fear
Ing To let them see her. Presently young feI-